This year, science and technology built a "firewall" to fight the epidemic
2020 is a year of long journey.
The unexpected arrival of the new crown pneumonia epidemic has refreshed human's understanding of the virus and greatly changed people's lifestyles.
2020 is a year of unity.
In the special battle against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, technology has built a "firewall" for mankind against the epidemic.
Our reporter Zhang Jiaxing
Virus strain
Chinese scholars successfully separated immediately
On the evening of January 7, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention successfully isolated a novel coronavirus from clinical samples of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan.
On January 11, China shared the entire genome sequence information of the new coronavirus to the world.
Virus strains have laid the foundation for vaccine development, screening of antiviral drugs, and the development of rapid detection reagents.
Isolating the virus strain, that is, obtaining the pure culture of the new coronavirus, can be used to understand the pathogenic mechanism of the virus, such as how the virus invades the human body, how does it reproduce in human cells, The difference in the infection efficiency of cells in different parts, the detailed mechanism and intervention methods of producing cytokine storm, etc.
Virology expert and professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine Robert Naviaux once said that the first virus in my country (new coronavirus Wuhan strain 01) was released by the China National Pathogenic Microorganism Resource Bank and successfully isolated by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The strain information and electron microscope photos allow people to clearly understand the basic information of the virus, and the simultaneous release of primer probe sequences enables the rapid development of more accurate detection methods.
Robert Naviaux believes that the rapid research progress and information sharing of Chinese scientists play an important role in understanding and naming viruses for humans.
On the other hand, the completion of the whole genome sequence is of great significance for the development of new rapid detection methods, the design of targeted drugs, and the development of vaccines.
Treatment plan
Revised and released version 7 within 40 days
After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, the National Health Commission issued the first version of the "New Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan" on January 16 to guide doctors in clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Since then, the expert team has continuously analyzed the epidemic situation and research progress, and revised the diagnosis and treatment plan in a timely manner based on the analysis, research, judgment, and summary of the previous medical treatment work.
As of March 4th, in less than 40 days, the diagnosis and treatment plan was revised to the seventh edition.
In response to new diseases, the constantly updated diagnosis and treatment plan is adopted and released in all media and channels.
This strategy not only helps the front line of primary diagnosis and treatment to unify the thinking and action guidelines, but also facilitates the continuous injection of new understanding into the front line of diagnosis and treatment actions and standards.
According to reports, in the seven versions of the new coronavirus pneumonia diagnosis and treatment plan, from the characteristics of etiology and epidemiology, to clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, diagnosis, case discovery and reporting, as well as treatment, release of isolation and post-discharge attention The matters have changed to varying degrees.
For example, the fifth edition incorporates the results of CT examinations into the diagnosis and treatment standards based on clinical practice.
On August 19, on the basis of summarizing the previous experience in the diagnosis and treatment of new coronary pneumonia and referring to the World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as WHO) and other countries' diagnosis and treatment guidelines, the National Health Commission established the basis for the diagnosis and treatment plan for the new coronavirus pneumonia (trial version 7) The last revision completed the new coronavirus pneumonia diagnosis and treatment plan (trial eighth edition), adding “it is infectious during the incubation period, and is highly infectious within 5 days after the onset”, “contact with virus-contaminated items can also cause infection” and “what kind of situation” The following content can be diagnosed through antibody testing.
Technology deployment
Ten emergency research projects launched in time
On January 21, the Ministry of Science and Technology organized the "First Meeting of the Scientific Research Team for the Joint Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus" and established the joint prevention and control of the pneumonia epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus with academician Zhong Nanshan as the team leader and 14 experts The working mechanism scientific research expert group urgently deployed ten major emergency scientific and technological projects.
After the outbreak, the Chinese science and technology community resolutely implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions and established a scientific research team to follow up the whole process, provide full service, and coordinate to solve the practical difficulties and problems encountered in the process of scientific research projects.
And actively promote the seamless connection of management departments such as science and technology, health, and drug supervision, and promote the joint work of plasma collection, reagent approval, and shared use of virus strains to ensure the smooth implementation of relevant emergency research projects.
Focusing on the five major directions of clinical treatment and drugs, vaccine research and development, virus traceability and transmission, detection reagents and equipment, and animal models, ten special work classes have been set up to be "traceable, diagnosable, preventable, treatable, and controllable" Goal-oriented, race against time and go all out to accelerate scientific and technological research, and have achieved a number of practical scientific and technological achievements.
Testing and screening
Optimization technology "results in half an hour"
The diagnosis of patients with new coronary pneumonia is the first step in the implementation of treatment.
Nucleic acid detection and diagnosis is currently the most accurate method for diagnosing the novel coronavirus.
On January 16, the optimization of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic reagents was completed, and Wuhan City carried out active screening of patients in fever clinics and observation treatments in 69 hospitals above the second level.
Behind this is the race against time for basic research.
In Beijing, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention successfully developed a highly sensitive and highly specific PCR detection reagent on January 4, and as of January 23, more than 30,000 test reagents were used nationwide; in Wuhan, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, etc. Professional institutions initially developed a test kit on January 10, and Wuhan immediately organized an investigation of all relevant cases admitted to the hospital.
On the basis of the release of the entire genome of the virus sequence, different R&D institutions have begun to make efforts to develop a series of rapid detection products for the new coronavirus by choosing a variety of technical routes for different detection objects of nucleic acids, antigens, and antibodies.
Continuous breakthroughs have also been made in detection categories, convenience, and time-consuming detection.
The testing products developed by Tsinghua University and Sichuan University in conjunction with related companies that can simultaneously detect six respiratory viruses, including the new coronavirus, passed the approval of the State Food and Drug Administration at the end of February and made donations abroad.
Wuhan University has also developed a new method that can detect 40 common respiratory viruses in 10 categories at the same time. This method can monitor virus mutations...
After the optimization of technology, the nucleic acid detection and analysis process can realize that the basic operations of sample preparation, reaction, separation, and detection are integrated on a micron-scale chip, and the entire analysis process is automatically completed.
On July 13, the nucleic acid detection flash test system developed by Kayudi Biotechnology was approved by the National Medical Products Administration. Its application enabled the nucleic acid detection of 200,000 people in Qitai County, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang in 4 days. This was at the beginning of the epidemic. It is unthinkable.
With the emergence of sporadic cases, powerful detection capabilities provide an effective screening method for intensively eradicating the epidemic, which in turn allows sudden epidemics to be quickly resolved, and helps middle and high-risk areas to restore normalcy in a short time.
Information Sharing
New coronavirus information database is online
On January 22, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Information Database developed by the National Center for Biological Information was officially launched, releasing global related virus genome and mutation analysis information.
According to the person in charge of the National Bioinformatics Center/National Genome Science Data Center, high-quality genome sequences and annotations of mutation sites are an important foundation and guarantee for virus-related research.
On February 28, version 2.0 of the "2019 Novel Coronavirus Information Database" was launched.
Based on comprehensive data, version 2.0 conducts a preliminary rough evaluation of the data, such as providing quality evaluation information for each genome sequence and each mutation site in the "Genome Sequence Release", "Variation Data Statistics", and "Variation Notes" columns to help the new crown Virus research work.
In addition, the National Microbiology Science Data Center has established a global coronavirus data sharing and analysis system, and the Chinese Medical Journal has established a scientific research results sharing exchange platform for the prevention and control of new coronary pneumonia to promote information sharing and enable rapid integration of scientific research results. And help the anti-epidemic work to avoid detours.
As of December 18, the “2019 Novel Coronavirus Information Database” released by the National Center for Bioinformatics/National Genome Science Data Center has provided data services for nearly 190,000 visitors from 175 countries and regions, and downloaded more than 200 million data .
Animal model
Reproduce the dynamic process of disease occurrence and development
Since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the State Council’s joint prevention and control mechanism scientific research team has actively promoted the development and application of animal models, as one of the five research directions, and organized domestic superior units to make full use of SARS and highly pathogenic avian influenza. Units with foundations in previous studies such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, etc., established animal models for the first time, which played an important role in understanding diseases, pathogens, transmission routes, drug screening, and vaccine development for scientists.
The animal model is a new crown "patient" developed in the laboratory.
Vaccines and drugs must be tested by this special "patient" before they can be used on real patients.
The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other units first established animal models in the world.
Through the establishment of humanized transgenic mouse models, non-human primate animal models, etc., it is the first to break through the key technical bottleneck of drugs and vaccines from the laboratory to the clinic, reproduce the dynamic process of disease occurrence and development, and not only clarify the route of virus transmission, but also At the same time, it is used to screen effective drugs and verify the effectiveness of vaccines.
Three medicines and three prescriptions
Demonstrate the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine in new crown treatment
In the fight against the new crown epidemic, Chinese medicine has played its unique advantages.
At the beginning of the epidemic, the State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism established a special class of traditional Chinese medicine, which included four groups including clinical treatment, mechanism research, prescription screening, and system construction.
In the early days when there was no specific medicine and no vaccine, TCM experts through in-depth excavation of ancient classic prescriptions, combined with clinical practice, formed the diagnosis and treatment plan of Chinese medicine for the treatment of new coronary pneumonia and the "Chinese plan" of combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and selected Jinhuaqing Gan Granules, Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, Xuebijing Injection, Qingfei Paidu Decoction, Huashi Baidu Decoction, Xuanfei Baidu Decoction and other effective prescriptions represented by the "three medicines and three prescriptions" with obvious curative effect.
In Hubei, the participation rate of traditional Chinese medicine has reached 91.05%. In areas other than Hubei, the number of cases treated by traditional Chinese medicine accounted for 96.37% of the total confirmed cases.
The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine has set up a special emergency response program. Clinical observations of 1261 patients taking "Qingfei Paidu Decoction" in 10 provinces and cities showed that none of the mild patients became severe, and none of the ordinary patients became critical.
Wuhan Jiangxia Fangcai Hospital (Traditional Chinese Medicine Fangcai) admitted a total of 564 patients, none of which became severe or critical.
After the launch of the scientific and technological research project for the treatment of new coronary pneumonia with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine, scientific researchers carried out clinical treatment research and drug evaluation to verify the clinical efficacy and safety of the "three drugs". The "three drugs" obtained relevant approval documents and were approved for use in new coronary pneumonia treatment.
Modular hospital
Reversing the passive situation of epidemic prevention and control
On April 2, The Lancet published a paper on Fangcang shelter hospitals from the team of Academician Wang Chen, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The paper recorded the establishment and development of Fangcang shelter hospitals during the new crown pneumonia epidemic.
Wang Chen concluded: "The five basic functions of Fangcang shelter hospitals are isolation, triage, basic medical care, frequent monitoring and rapid referral, basic life guarantee and social participation. Fangcang shelter hospitals can be the current response to the new crown epidemic and future emergencies. A powerful component of public health incidents."
The clock was set back to the evening of February 3, and Wuhan began to build three "square cabin hospitals" overnight. In the Wuhan International Convention and Exhibition Center, Wuhan Hongshan Gymnasium, and Wuhan Living Room, intense projects started quickly.
The square cabin hospital is designed with more than 4,000 beds, mainly for patients with mild illness and patients under 65 years old, so that the medical resources of better hospitals are reserved for severely ill patients and the weaker elderly.
The opening of the shelter hospital has reversed the once extremely passive situation of epidemic prevention and control.
At that time, it was difficult to find a bed in Wuhan Hospital, and tens of thousands of patients could not be admitted in time. However, more than one month after the completion of the Fangcang shelter hospital, more than 12,000 mild patients were admitted.
Treating mild cases, referral as soon as possible after becoming severe, and leaving the cabin at any time after turning negative, the Fangcang shelter hospital's role in rationalizing the entire society and medical order far exceeds the role of admitting patients.
"Received everything" has the effect of "tightening the tap", preventing the emergence of new coronavirus infections.
According to statistics, in order to ensure the completion of the goal of “receivables, cures and cures”, Wuhan has built and opened a total of 14 square cabin hospitals, opening more than 13,000 beds.
Vaccine development
Five routes rank first in the world
"my country has currently 5 new coronavirus vaccines entered into phase III clinical trials, and the number is at the forefront of the world." State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism Scientific Research Team Vaccine R&D Team Leader, Director of the National Health Commission's Medical and Health Technology Development Research Center Zheng Zhongwei said in an exclusive interview with a reporter from Xinhua News Agency a few days ago, “The vaccine research and development has entered the sprint stage.
On January 21, the Ministry of Science and Technology urgently deployed ten major emergency scientific and technological research projects, and determined 5 technical routes to advance the research and development of the new crown vaccine in parallel.
On February 15, the science and technology research team set up a special vaccine research and development class to promote vaccine research and development with a new national system.
On March 16, on the basis of rigorous and sufficient animal testing and other pre-clinical trials, the research team developed by the research team led by academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher Chen Wei passed the clinical research registration review and was approved Officially entered clinical trials.
On the same day, Modena's mRNA vaccine in the United States announced that it had started human trials without animal experiments.
On April 12, under the premise of good progress in the phase I trial, the vaccine started a phase II clinical trial. This is also the world's first phase II clinical trial of a new crown vaccine.
On April 14, the inactivated vaccines developed by Sinopharm Zhongsheng and Kexing Zhongwei started clinical Phase I/II clinical trials.
Subsequently, vaccines with different technical routes such as mRNA vaccines and recombinant protein vaccines in my country have been approved to enter clinical trials.
As of December 16, statistics from the WHO's official website show that a total of 52 new crown vaccines worldwide have entered clinical trials, and my country's current 5 technical routes and 15 vaccines have entered clinical trials.
Up to now, 5 vaccines in my country are undergoing phase III clinical trials, namely: China National Pharmaceutical Group’s "Zhongsheng Wuhan" and "Zhongsheng Beijing" inactivated vaccines, and Beijing Kexing Zhongwei Biotechnology Co., Ltd.’s inactivated vaccines. Live vaccines, the adenovirus vector vaccine developed by the Academy of Military Sciences in conjunction with Cansino, and the new crown recombinant protein vaccine jointly developed by the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Anhui Zhifeilongkema.
On December 9, based on a series of results including a phase III clinical trial with an effective rate of 86%, the inactivated vaccine for the new coronavirus developed by Sinopharm Zhongsheng was approved for marketing in the UAE and Bahrain.
global cooperation
WHO's global research roadmap
In the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, China has provided assistance for international cooperation.
On March 6, the WHO officially released a global research roadmap for COVID-19.
In the global R&D roadmap report, WHO pointed out that during the outbreak, the exchange and information sharing of researchers around the world was unprecedented, which promoted collaboration among scientists from various countries and made the implementation of research actions faster than ever before. be quick.
Faced with more and more effective information and research activities, WHO has developed a set of core procedures that outlines the criteria for how research should be conducted and collects key data so that the same things can be compared and Collect numerous research data.
The roadmap clarifies nine priority areas, including cross-over research priorities, and has formulated a timetable for the implementation of some research actions within the next year based on short-term, medium- and long-term priorities.